A shocking Texas high school shooting was thwarted by a group of quick thinking parents who rapidly responded to the threat against students over the weekend.
Elderly man suspect in high school shooting
The incident occurred during a band competition at a high school near Houston, when a parent tackled the gunman, and others quickly stepped in to help disarm him, authorities reported.
The chaos unfolded Saturday evening at Pasadena Memorial High School, where students from various districts were competing.
The gunman, identified as 83-year-old Dennis Erwin Brandl Jr., reportedly entered the school and fired a small-caliber weapon, injuring one person.
According to the police, the victim is a percussion consultant for the Angleton Independent School District. The man sustained a shoulder injury and was transported to a local hospital, where he is now in stable condition.A quick-acting parent tackled the shooter, while school police and other bystanders helped subdue him.
Pasadena Police Chief Jerry Wright said, “Within 60 seconds, a suspect was disarmed and they prevented further shooting by this suspect.”
High school shooting stopped by band dads
Pasadena Independent School District confirmed the gunman had no ties to the competition and praised the brave parents for “successfully subduing the individual and detaining them until law enforcement arrived,” a statement from the district read.
The parents who intervened were identified as members of the Pearland Band Dads group—a team of dedicated fathers who assist with band-related tasks for Pearland High School.
The group includes 13-year Air Force veteran Abram Trevino, 14-year Army veteran Adam Curow, 4-year Marine Corps veteran Efrain ‘Polo’ Castillo, and long-time Houston police sergeant Joe Sanchez.
According to KHOU-TV, they were moving equipment when shouts of “Active shooter, active shooter!” rang out, prompting them to run towards the danger.
Joe Sanchez recalled the chaotic scene, saying, “People were coming out screaming, saying, ‘Active shooter, active shooter,’ so me and Polo were with the same prop, dropped everything and ran through the lobby door.”
By the time they reached the suspect, another man had already started restraining him. “I grabbed his arms while Adam took the gun out, and once the gun was removed from his hand, we had no handcuffs, so I took off my belt, made handcuffs, got his right arm secured, got his left arm secured,” Sanchez described.
A national nonprofit organization, the One in Five Foundation for Kids, plans to honor the four men with heroism awards for stopping the gunman and preventing what could have been a deadly shooting.
“These individuals did not hesitate to jump into action to save lives, plain and simple,” the foundation commented. “Yet, it cannot be underestimated, what these individuals did that day. They are heroes.”
Brandl, the elderly gunman, told officers he believed someone was chasing him and targeting both him and his wife.
After leaving his home in Spring, Texas, Brandl reportedly drove to Pasadena Memorial High School, where the incident occurred.
Curow, one of the Band Dads, recounted what Brandl said while restrained on the ground. “When the suspect was on the ground, he kept saying, ‘Someone’s trying to shoot me, someone’s trying to shoot me,’ and we would look around or scan the area to see if maybe there was an additional or potential second person that may be the person he’s referencing, but there was nobody. It was all spectators, students and parents,” Curow disclosed.
Elderly suspect bonds out of jail
Brandl was arrested on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. During a court hearing, prosecutors called for a $500,000 bond, citing the gravity of the offense and the risks posed by the suspect, pointing out that Brandl allegedly appeared to be searching for more targets before being subdued.
They also requested conditions such as GPS monitoring and house arrest. The defense argued for a lower bond, highlighting Brandl’s advanced age, clean criminal record, and honorable military discharge from the Navy.
Ultimately, the court set the bond at $80,000, imposing several restrictions. Brandl is prohibited from contacting the victim, Dwight Benjamin, or his family.
Additionally, he must remain at least 200 feet away from Pasadena Memorial High School and is banned from possessing firearms, drugs, or alcohol.
